Spurious correlation #2,335 · View random
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the first name Cullen and the second variable is The number of chemists in Alaska. The chart goes from 2003 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the first name Cullen and the second variable is The number of chemists in Alaska. The chart goes from 2003 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

Download png, svg

AI explanation

As the popularity of the first name Cullen increased, more and more babies were being named Cullen. This led to a rise in the demand for personalized baby name mugs and keychains. The production of these items requires a specific chemical compound found only in Alaska's rare glacier water. To keep up with the demand, more chemists relocated to Alaska to work on extracting this vital compound, inadvertently boosting the number of chemists in the state. It's a name game that led to a chemistry boom in the Land of the Midnight Sun!

^{Show image generation prompt} Model: dalle-3
Prompt: Create an image inspired by a TIME magazine cover depicting a bustling Alaskan town. In the center, a popular young boy named Cullen is surrounded by a group of aspiring chemists. The town is abuzz with the news that the number of chemists in Alaska has soared as the name Cullen became increasingly popular. The parents in the community, enamored by the idea of their kids pursuing a successful career, were guiding them towards the path of science to ensure a prosperous future. The setting should convey a vibrant community with a focus on science and future success. The depiction should include only scenes, people, and objects, it should not include text or speech bubbles.

This image generation prompt was also generated by AI, using the following sequence:

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You select one of a few potential scene descriptors that seems to go along with the variables described. You respond only with the scene descriptions provided and say nothing else.
User prompt: Here are two variables: Popularity of the first name Cullen and The number of chemists in Alaska. Given these, which of the following image style descriptions seems most appropriate? Pick the one that seems to be related to one of the variables at hand. Please respond with only one of the following potential descriptions: Concept art A TIME magazine cover image Pop art Concept art Photorealism
ChatGPT: A TIME magazine cover image

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You describe simple visual scenes that depict the two variables stated. You combine both variables into one scene.
User prompt: Please describe a visual scene that prominently depicts both Popularity of the first name Cullen and The number of chemists in Alaska, in the following situation: As the popularity of the name Cullen skyrocketed, so did the number of chemists in Alaska. It seems that parents were "bonding" with the idea of their kids becoming scientists, hoping they would have a "reaction" to the academic environment. This trend began because they wanted their little ones to have a "molecular" level of success and to "catalyze" their way to a "stable" career. It's as if the name Cullen had some sort of "atomic" influence on the career choices of Alaskan parents, leading to a "chain" reaction of chemist hopefuls. This correlation just goes to show that when it comes to naming babies, sometimes the "elements" are quite influential in shaping their future paths.. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In a bustling Alaskan town, a popular young boy named Cullen is surrounded by a group of aspiring chemists. The town is abuzz with the news that the number of chemists in Alaska has soared as the name Cullen became increasingly popular. The parents in the community, enamored by the idea of their kids pursuing a successful career, were guiding them towards the path of science to ensure a prosperous future.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You write and improve image generation prompts for DALLE-3. You maintain the same subjects, but enhance the visuals.
User prompt: Please respond with an image generation prompt that would be likely to create an interesting visual using DALLE-3, using the following style: [ A TIME magazine cover image ] and depicting this scene: In a bustling Alaskan town, a popular young boy named Cullen is surrounded by a group of aspiring chemists. The town is abuzz with the news that the number of chemists in Alaska has soared as the name Cullen became increasingly popular. The parents in the community, enamored by the idea of their kids pursuing a successful career, were guiding them towards the path of science to ensure a prosperous future. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: Create an image inspired by a TIME magazine cover depicting a bustling Alaskan town. In the center, a popular young boy named Cullen is surrounded by a group of aspiring chemists. The town is abuzz with the news that the number of chemists in Alaska has soared as the name Cullen became increasingly popular. The parents in the community, enamored by the idea of their kids pursuing a successful career, were guiding them towards the path of science to ensure a prosperous future. The setting should convey a vibrant community with a focus on science and future success.

*Variations in the User Prompts from chart to chart are just the result of random number generation in Python. I wrote a few arrays of various styles and methods to ask questions to change up the results. Every time this site writes an explanation or generates an image, the script picks from each at random.

I sequence the requests into multiple prompts because I find GPT 3.5 to perform much better with short, well-managed contexts. Thus, I track the context directly in Python and only ask ChatGPT targeted questions.
^{Show prompt for explanation} Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106 (fine-tuned)
System prompt: You provide humorous responses in the form of plausible sounding explanations for correlations. You assume the correlation is causative for the purpose of the explanation even if it is ridiculous. You do not chat with the user, you only reply with the causal connection explanation and nothing else.
User prompt: Please make up a funny explanation for how increases in Popularity of the first name Cullen positively influenced The number of chemists in Alaska. Make it feel plausible.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)

The Cullen Conundrum: Exploring the Correlation Between Popularity of the Name 'Cullen' and the Chemist Count in Alaska

The Journal of Quirky Statistical Analyses

Jan 2024

Reminder: This paper is AI-generated. Not real!

^{Show prompt used to generate this paper} Quick note: This sequence is long and repetitive. That's how the prompt engineering works for this one. I manage the output in Python to format it into this PDF.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft a literature review section of an academic research paper, that starts out dry for the first few sentences but then becomes hilarious and goofy.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a literature review section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Cullen and The number of chemists in Alaska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Speak in the present tense for this section (the authors find...), as is common in academic research paper literature reviews. Name the sources in a format similar to this: In "Book," the authors find lorem and ipsum.

Make up the lorem and ipsum part, but make it sound related to the topic at hand.

Start by naming serious-sounding studies by authors like Smith, Doe, and Jones - but then quickly devolve. Name some real non-fiction books that would be related to the topic. Then name some real fiction books that sound like they could be related. Then devolve ever further, and mention something completely ridiculous, like you conducted literature review by reading CVS receipts.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
"The Cullen Conundrum: Exploring the Correlation Between Popularity of the Name 'Cullen' and the Chemist Count in Alaska"

[[ABSTRACT]]
The familiar adage "What's in a name?" takes on a peculiar twist in our empirical investigation into the curious correlation between the prevalence of the first name "Cullen" and the abundance of chemists in the unique setting of the Last Frontier. Leveraging authoritative data from the US Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we uncover an unexpected synergy between nomenclature and professional pursuits. With a statistically robust correlation coefficient of 0.7790877 and a p-value of less than 0.01 for the period spanning from 2003 to 2022, our findings defy conventional expectations. We offer tongue-in-cheek interpretations and light-hearted speculation on this whimsical association, evoking both amusement and scholarly curiosity. Our study adds a dash of levity to the serious corpus of social science research, illuminating the delightful quirks that pervade the fascinating tapestry of human society.

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
In the realm of statistical curiosities and whimsical correlations, our investigation embarks on a delightful odyssey to unravel the confounding connection between the popular first name "Cullen" and the enigmatic abundance of chemists in the frosty expanse of Alaska. Just as electrons are attracted to protons, our curiosity was piqued by the magnetic pull of this unexpected correlation, prompting us to venture into uncharted territories of nomenclature and professional demographics.
The whimsical nature of our exploration invokes a scientific spirit tinged with a touch of jest, as we bring forth the peculiar phenomenon that inspired our investigation. We harness the robust data repositories of the US Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to navigate through this scholarly escapade, uncovering a statistical relationship that teeters between the realms of head-scratching incredulity and statistical significance.
As we tread through the terra incognita of names and occupations, we eschew the doldrums of conventional research to offer a light-hearted and offbeat perspective on the entwined tapestry of nomenclature and professional pursuits. With statistical rigor as our compass and a penchant for playful speculation as our compass needle, we present our findings with a dash of irreverent charm, infusing the scholarly discourse with a modicum of mirth and amusement.
Our foray into the Cullen conundrum symbolizes the serendipitous nexus of empirical inquiry and amusing peculiarity, shedding light on the capricious quirks that reverberate through the social fabric. As we delve deeper into the correlation that defies logical expectation, we invite the reader to join us on this scholarly escapade, embracing the synergistic fusion of empirical rigor and lighthearted levity.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

Surveying the landscape of literature on the perplexing correlation between the prevalence of the first name "Cullen" and the abundance of chemists in Alaska, a multitude of studies have attempted to untangle this enigmatic connection. Smith et al. (2015) assert that there is a latent relationship between nomenclature and occupational distribution, positing that the resonance of certain names may exert an inexplicable allure towards specific professions. Doe and Jones (2018) echo this sentiment, elucidating the subtle yet compelling influence of nomenclature on career paths, with particular emphasis on the idiosyncratic linkage between names and specialized vocations.

Turning to non-fiction works of relevance, "The Naming Instinct" by Leonard Sax delves into the cognitive, societal, and professional ramifications of names, offering a serious exploration of how names can shape destinies. In a similar vein, "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell explores the curious anomalies that propel individuals into extraordinary success, though it does not specifically address the influence of names on career choices.

On the fictional side, "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss, with its captivating narrative and mystique surrounding the power encapsulated within names, tangentially alludes to the potential allure of certain names towards particular pursuits. Additionally, the whimsical world of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series, with characters bearing evocative names such as Severus Snape and Luna Lovegood, toys with the idea of nominative determinism, albeit in a context far removed from the realm of professional demographics.

As our investigation veers into the unconventional, we acknowledge the unorthodox sources that have inadvertently offered insight into our peculiar inquiry. A perusal of wit-laden anecdotes from everyday life, obscure internet forums, and even the cryptic symbols adorning CVS receipts has yielded unexpected revelations, infusing our scholarly pursuit with an unusual blend of levity and absurdity.

In synthesizing these diverse sources, it becomes evident that the intersection of nomenclature and occupational predilections, though frequently overlooked, presents an uncharted terrain ripe for empirical exploration and lighthearted rumination. Our study strides boldly into this whimsical terrain, unearthing nuggets of insight amid the labyrinthine network of nomenclature and profession, alighting upon the whimsical correlations that elude conventional explanation.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft the methodology section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the methodology section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Cullen and The number of chemists in Alaska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from US Social Security Administration and Bureau of Larbor Statistics . You used data from 2003 to 2022

Make up the research methods you don't know. Make them a bit goofy and convoluted.

Here is the title, abstract, and introduction of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
"The Cullen Conundrum: Exploring the Correlation Between Popularity of the Name 'Cullen' and the Chemist Count in Alaska"

[[ABSTRACT]]
The familiar adage "What's in a name?" takes on a peculiar twist in our empirical investigation into the curious correlation between the prevalence of the first name "Cullen" and the abundance of chemists in the unique setting of the Last Frontier. Leveraging authoritative data from the US Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we uncover an unexpected synergy between nomenclature and professional pursuits. With a statistically robust correlation coefficient of 0.7790877 and a p-value of less than 0.01 for the period spanning from 2003 to 2022, our findings defy conventional expectations. We offer tongue-in-cheek interpretations and light-hearted speculation on this whimsical association, evoking both amusement and scholarly curiosity. Our study adds a dash of levity to the serious corpus of social science research, illuminating the delightful quirks that pervade the fascinating tapestry of human society.

[[INTRODUCTION]]
In the realm of statistical curiosities and whimsical correlations, our investigation embarks on a delightful odyssey to unravel the confounding connection between the popular first name "Cullen" and the enigmatic abundance of chemists in the frosty expanse of Alaska. Just as electrons are attracted to protons, our curiosity was piqued by the magnetic pull of this unexpected correlation, prompting us to venture into uncharted territories of nomenclature and professional demographics.
The whimsical nature of our exploration invokes a scientific spirit tinged with a touch of jest, as we bring forth the peculiar phenomenon that inspired our investigation. We harness the robust data repositories of the US Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to navigate through this scholarly escapade, uncovering a statistical relationship that teeters between the realms of head-scratching incredulity and statistical significance.
As we tread through the terra incognita of names and occupations, we eschew the doldrums of conventional research to offer a light-hearted and offbeat perspective on the entwined tapestry of nomenclature and professional pursuits. With statistical rigor as our compass and a penchant for playful speculation as our compass needle, we present our findings with a dash of irreverent charm, infusing the scholarly discourse with a modicum of mirth and amusement.
Our foray into the Cullen conundrum symbolizes the serendipitous nexus of empirical inquiry and amusing peculiarity, shedding light on the capricious quirks that reverberate through the social fabric. As we delve deeper into the correlation that defies logical expectation, we invite the reader to join us on this scholarly escapade, embracing the synergistic fusion of empirical rigor and lighthearted levity.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

ChatGPT:

Ah, the methodological machinations that propelled our whimsical investigation into the "Cullen Conundrum" indeed merited some scholarly scrutiny. Our merry band of researchers embarked on a spirited quest to unravel the enigmatic correlation between the proliferating prevalence of the first name "Cullen" and the mysterious abundance of chemists in the frosty expanse of Alaska. To add some gravitas to our jocular pursuit, we diligently combed through the data repositories of the US Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, navigating the treacherous seas of statistical analyses and data mining, all in the name of uncovering this delightful conundrum.

Our first escapade involved wielding the formidable tool of historical birth data from the US Social Security Administration, trawling through the annals of the interwebs to discern the ebbs and flows of the "Cullen" moniker from 2003 to 2022. With keen eyes and a touch of mirth, we charted the undulating waves of Cullens being christened across the years, picturing the titillating tableau of baby names ebbing and flowing like the unpredictable tides of empirical happenstance.

Next, our intrepid journey led us to the frosty domain of Alaska, where we sought to unravel the mysterious enigma surrounding the chemists who chose to ply their trade on these frigid shores. Leveraging the Bureau of Labor Statistics as our map, we scoured the professional landscapes, counting the intrepid chemists who braved the icy winds and the siren call of scientific inquiry in this majestic wilderness.

Armed with these data nuggets, we gallantly ventured into the perilous domain of statistical analyses, wielding the majestic sword of Correlation Coefficient to discern the mystical connections between the waltzing waves of "Cullen" and the bustling battalions of chemists in Alaska. Our valiant foray led us to uncover a statistically robust correlation coefficient of 0.7790877 and a p-value of less than 0.01, casting a spellbinding aura of statistical significance over our findings.

With fervent dedication and a smattering of jest, we pirouetted through the maze of statistical significance, embracing the capricious whirlwind of data sorcery to illuminate the mesmerizing nexus between nomenclature and professional pursuits. As we gallivanted through this dancing duet of correlation, we offered tongue-in-cheek interpretations and playful musings, exuding an irreverent charm that nestled comfortably amidst the scholarly discourse.

In conclusion, our methodological meanderings were peppered with whimsy and scholarly rigour, as we embarked on this mirthful escapade to unpack the confounding correlation between the name "Cullen" and the prodigious presence of chemists in Alaska.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft the results section of an academic research paper. You speak in the past tense (you found...).
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the results section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Cullen and The number of chemists in Alaska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from US Social Security Administration and Bureau of Larbor Statistics .

For the time period 2003 to 2022, you found a correlation 0.7790877, r-squared of 0.6069777, and p < 0.01.

One figure will be included. The figure (Fig. 1) is a scatterplot showing the strong correlation between the two variables. You don't need to specify where; I will add the figure.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
"The Cullen Conundrum: Exploring the Correlation Between Popularity of the Name 'Cullen' and the Chemist Count in Alaska"

[[ABSTRACT]]
The familiar adage "What's in a name?" takes on a peculiar twist in our empirical investigation into the curious correlation between the prevalence of the first name "Cullen" and the abundance of chemists in the unique setting of the Last Frontier. Leveraging authoritative data from the US Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we uncover an unexpected synergy between nomenclature and professional pursuits. With a statistically robust correlation coefficient of 0.7790877 and a p-value of less than 0.01 for the period spanning from 2003 to 2022, our findings defy conventional expectations. We offer tongue-in-cheek interpretations and light-hearted speculation on this whimsical association, evoking both amusement and scholarly curiosity. Our study adds a dash of levity to the serious corpus of social science research, illuminating the delightful quirks that pervade the fascinating tapestry of human society.

-------

And here is the methodology section that led to this result:
[[METHODOLOGY]]
In the realm of statistical curiosities and whimsical correlations, our investigation embarks on a delightful odyssey to unravel the confounding connection between the popular first name "Cullen" and the enigmatic abundance of chemists in the frosty expanse of Alaska. Just as electrons are attracted to protons, our curiosity was piqued by the magnetic pull of this unexpected correlation, prompting us to venture into uncharted territories of nomenclature and professional demographics.
The whimsical nature of our exploration invokes a scientific spirit tinged with a touch of jest, as we bring forth the peculiar phenomenon that inspired our investigation. We harness the robust data repositories of the US Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to navigate through this scholarly escapade, uncovering a statistical relationship that teeters between the realms of head-scratching incredulity and statistical significance.
As we tread through the terra incognita of names and occupations, we eschew the doldrums of conventional research to offer a light-hearted and offbeat perspective on the entwined tapestry of nomenclature and professional pursuits. With statistical rigor as our compass and a penchant for playful speculation as our compass needle, we present our findings with a dash of irreverent charm, infusing the scholarly discourse with a modicum of mirth and amusement.
Our foray into the Cullen conundrum symbolizes the serendipitous nexus of empirical inquiry and amusing peculiarity, shedding light on the capricious quirks that reverberate through the social fabric. As we delve deeper into the correlation that defies logical expectation, we invite the reader to join us on this scholarly escapade, embracing the synergistic fusion of empirical rigor and lighthearted levity.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[RESULTS]]

ChatGPT:

[[RESULTS]]

Our investigation into the correlation between the first name "Cullen" and the number of chemists in Alaska during the period from 2003 to 2022 unearthed a surprising statistical relationship that left us scratching our heads in bemusement. The correlation coefficient of 0.7790877 suggests a strong positive correlation between the popularity of the name "Cullen" and the count of chemists in Alaska, while the r-squared value of 0.6069777 indicates that a whopping 60.7% of the variation in the number of chemists can be explained by the prevalence of this charming moniker. To put it scientifically, our results make Cullentific sense!

We also want to take a moment to appreciate the p-value of less than 0.01. This means that there is less than a 1% chance that this connection is due to sheer coincidence. In other words, the likelihood of this correlation being a fluke is about as probable as stumbling upon a unicorn in the Alaskan wilderness. We're talking p-values so small, they make a quark look positively enormous!

Fig. 1 showcases the scatterplot that visually encapsulates this unexpected correlation, leaving us marveling at the whimsical dance of data points that seems to corroborate the Cullen-chemist connection. As the great philosopher Karl Popper once said, "Science may be described as the art of systematic over-simplification." Well, in this case, we're inclined to agree!

In conclusion, our research unravels the delightful conundrum of the Cullen correlation, offering a playful yet thought-provoking perspective on the intricate interplay between nomenclature and professional pathways. We invite fellow researchers to join us in celebrating the lighthearted whimsy that manifests in the most unexpected statistical associations, affirming that even in the realm of data and demographics, a little quirkiness can add a delightful spark to scholarly inquiry.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft the discussion section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the discussion section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Cullen and The number of chemists in Alaska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

Limit your response to 500 tokens.

Here are the title, abstract, literature review, and results sections. Please harken back to 1-2 of the goofy items in the literature review, but pretend to take them completely seriously. Discuss how your results supported the prior research.

Do not write a conclusion. I will add a conclusion after this.

[[TITLE]]
"The Cullen Conundrum: Exploring the Correlation Between Popularity of the Name 'Cullen' and the Chemist Count in Alaska"

[[ABSTRACT]]
The familiar adage "What's in a name?" takes on a peculiar twist in our empirical investigation into the curious correlation between the prevalence of the first name "Cullen" and the abundance of chemists in the unique setting of the Last Frontier. Leveraging authoritative data from the US Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we uncover an unexpected synergy between nomenclature and professional pursuits. With a statistically robust correlation coefficient of 0.7790877 and a p-value of less than 0.01 for the period spanning from 2003 to 2022, our findings defy conventional expectations. We offer tongue-in-cheek interpretations and light-hearted speculation on this whimsical association, evoking both amusement and scholarly curiosity. Our study adds a dash of levity to the serious corpus of social science research, illuminating the delightful quirks that pervade the fascinating tapestry of human society.

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
Surveying the landscape of literature on the perplexing correlation between the prevalence of the first name "Cullen" and the abundance of chemists in Alaska, a multitude of studies have attempted to untangle this enigmatic connection. Smith et al. (2015) assert that there is a latent relationship between nomenclature and occupational distribution, positing that the resonance of certain names may exert an inexplicable allure towards specific professions. Doe and Jones (2018) echo this sentiment, elucidating the subtle yet compelling influence of nomenclature on career paths, with particular emphasis on the idiosyncratic linkage between names and specialized vocations.
Turning to non-fiction works of relevance, "The Naming Instinct" by Leonard Sax delves into the cognitive, societal, and professional ramifications of names, offering a serious exploration of how names can shape destinies. In a similar vein, "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell explores the curious anomalies that propel individuals into extraordinary success, though it does not specifically address the influence of names on career choices.
On the fictional side, "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss, with its captivating narrative and mystique surrounding the power encapsulated within names, tangentially alludes to the potential allure of certain names towards particular pursuits. Additionally, the whimsical world of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series, with characters bearing evocative names such as Severus Snape and Luna Lovegood, toys with the idea of nominative determinism, albeit in a context far removed from the realm of professional demographics.
As our investigation veers into the unconventional, we acknowledge the unorthodox sources that have inadvertently offered insight into our peculiar inquiry. A perusal of wit-laden anecdotes from everyday life, obscure internet forums, and even the cryptic symbols adorning CVS receipts has yielded unexpected revelations, infusing our scholarly pursuit with an unusual blend of levity and absurdity.
In synthesizing these diverse sources, it becomes evident that the intersection of nomenclature and occupational predilections, though frequently overlooked, presents an uncharted terrain ripe for empirical exploration and lighthearted rumination. Our study strides boldly into this whimsical terrain, unearthing nuggets of insight amid the labyrinthine network of nomenclature and profession, alighting upon the whimsical correlations that elude conventional explanation.

[[RESULTS]]
Our investigation into the correlation between the first name "Cullen" and the number of chemists in Alaska during the period from 2003 to 2022 unearthed a surprising statistical relationship that left us scratching our heads in bemusement. The correlation coefficient of 0.7790877 suggests a strong positive correlation between the popularity of the name "Cullen" and the count of chemists in Alaska, while the r-squared value of 0.6069777 indicates that a whopping 60.7% of the variation in the number of chemists can be explained by the prevalence of this charming moniker. To put it scientifically, our results make Cullentific sense!
We also want to take a moment to appreciate the p-value of less than 0.01. This means that there is less than a 1% chance that this connection is due to sheer coincidence. In other words, the likelihood of this correlation being a fluke is about as probable as stumbling upon a unicorn in the Alaskan wilderness. We're talking p-values so small, they make a quark look positively enormous!
Fig. 1 showcases the scatterplot that visually encapsulates this unexpected correlation, leaving us marveling at the whimsical dance of data points that seems to corroborate the Cullen-chemist connection. As the great philosopher Karl Popper once said, "Science may be described as the art of systematic over-simplification." Well, in this case, we're inclined to agree!
In conclusion, our research unravels the delightful conundrum of the Cullen correlation, offering a playful yet thought-provoking perspective on the intricate interplay between nomenclature and professional pathways. We invite fellow researchers to join us in celebrating the lighthearted whimsy that manifests in the most unexpected statistical associations, affirming that even in the realm of data and demographics, a little quirkiness can add a delightful spark to scholarly inquiry.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

Our results have unveiled a correlation between the name "Cullen" and the number of chemists in Alaska that's as clear as the Northern Lights on a crisp winter evening. While some might dismiss this association as a fluke, our findings echo the sentiments of previous scholars who dared to explore the curious relationship between nomenclature and professional pursuits with all the scientific seriousness of a lab rat wearing a top hat.

The literature review led us through a whimsical journey studded with scholarly musings and the offbeat inklings of fictional works. Despite the seemingly whimsical nature of these sources, they offered valuable insights that ultimately underpin our findings. After all, who would have thought that the wry humor of CVS receipts could hold the key to unlocking the mystery of the Cullen-chemist correlation?

Our research supports prior assertions that names may exert a persuasive allure toward specific occupations, akin to a siren's call luring sailors to unknown shores—though thankfully, our findings steer clear of shipwrecks and enchanted isles. Drawing inspiration from the idiosyncratic resonance of names, our study aligns with the unconventional bent of "The Naming Instinct" and the subtle yet compelling influence of nomenclature as elaborated by Doe and Jones. Even the enchanting allure of names in the Harry Potter series seems to find its parallel in the surprising allure of the name "Cullen" to the world of chemistry in Alaska.

With a correlation coefficient and p-value that could make even the most skeptical statistician do a double take, our results offer a whimsical window into the interplay of names and professional trajectories. We don't mean to sound al-Khemical, but our findings truly encapsulate the enchanting synergy encapsulated within the name "Cullen" and the pursuit of chemistry in the northernmost reaches of the United States.

In essence, our study embraces the delightful quirkiness that pervades the intersection of nomenclature and professional pathways, affirming that even in the realm of dry statistical analyses, a generous sprinkle of whimsy can make for a thrilling journey into uncharted territories of research.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft the discussion section of goofy academic research papers that sounds like it belongs based on the title and abstract provided.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a short conclusion of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Cullen and The number of chemists in Alaska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

Limit your response to 300 tokens. At the very end, assert that no more research is needed in this area.

Here are the title, abstract, introduction, and results sections.
[[TITLE]]
"The Cullen Conundrum: Exploring the Correlation Between Popularity of the Name 'Cullen' and the Chemist Count in Alaska"

[[ABSTRACT]]
The familiar adage "What's in a name?" takes on a peculiar twist in our empirical investigation into the curious correlation between the prevalence of the first name "Cullen" and the abundance of chemists in the unique setting of the Last Frontier. Leveraging authoritative data from the US Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we uncover an unexpected synergy between nomenclature and professional pursuits. With a statistically robust correlation coefficient of 0.7790877 and a p-value of less than 0.01 for the period spanning from 2003 to 2022, our findings defy conventional expectations. We offer tongue-in-cheek interpretations and light-hearted speculation on this whimsical association, evoking both amusement and scholarly curiosity. Our study adds a dash of levity to the serious corpus of social science research, illuminating the delightful quirks that pervade the fascinating tapestry of human society.

[[INTRDUCTION]]
In the realm of statistical curiosities and whimsical correlations, our investigation embarks on a delightful odyssey to unravel the confounding connection between the popular first name "Cullen" and the enigmatic abundance of chemists in the frosty expanse of Alaska. Just as electrons are attracted to protons, our curiosity was piqued by the magnetic pull of this unexpected correlation, prompting us to venture into uncharted territories of nomenclature and professional demographics.
The whimsical nature of our exploration invokes a scientific spirit tinged with a touch of jest, as we bring forth the peculiar phenomenon that inspired our investigation. We harness the robust data repositories of the US Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to navigate through this scholarly escapade, uncovering a statistical relationship that teeters between the realms of head-scratching incredulity and statistical significance.
As we tread through the terra incognita of names and occupations, we eschew the doldrums of conventional research to offer a light-hearted and offbeat perspective on the entwined tapestry of nomenclature and professional pursuits. With statistical rigor as our compass and a penchant for playful speculation as our compass needle, we present our findings with a dash of irreverent charm, infusing the scholarly discourse with a modicum of mirth and amusement.
Our foray into the Cullen conundrum symbolizes the serendipitous nexus of empirical inquiry and amusing peculiarity, shedding light on the capricious quirks that reverberate through the social fabric. As we delve deeper into the correlation that defies logical expectation, we invite the reader to join us on this scholarly escapade, embracing the synergistic fusion of empirical rigor and lighthearted levity.

[[RESULTS]]
Our investigation into the correlation between the first name "Cullen" and the number of chemists in Alaska during the period from 2003 to 2022 unearthed a surprising statistical relationship that left us scratching our heads in bemusement. The correlation coefficient of 0.7790877 suggests a strong positive correlation between the popularity of the name "Cullen" and the count of chemists in Alaska, while the r-squared value of 0.6069777 indicates that a whopping 60.7% of the variation in the number of chemists can be explained by the prevalence of this charming moniker. To put it scientifically, our results make Cullentific sense!
We also want to take a moment to appreciate the p-value of less than 0.01. This means that there is less than a 1% chance that this connection is due to sheer coincidence. In other words, the likelihood of this correlation being a fluke is about as probable as stumbling upon a unicorn in the Alaskan wilderness. We're talking p-values so small, they make a quark look positively enormous!
Fig. 1 showcases the scatterplot that visually encapsulates this unexpected correlation, leaving us marveling at the whimsical dance of data points that seems to corroborate the Cullen-chemist connection. As the great philosopher Karl Popper once said, "Science may be described as the art of systematic over-simplification." Well, in this case, we're inclined to agree!
In conclusion, our research unravels the delightful conundrum of the Cullen correlation, offering a playful yet thought-provoking perspective on the intricate interplay between nomenclature and professional pathways. We invite fellow researchers to join us in celebrating the lighthearted whimsy that manifests in the most unexpected statistical associations, affirming that even in the realm of data and demographics, a little quirkiness can add a delightful spark to scholarly inquiry.

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[[CONCLUSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

As we draw the curtains on our whimsical odyssey through the enchanting realms of nomenclature and professional landscapes, the glaring correlation between the name "Cullen" and the flourishing cohort of chemists in the Alaskan wilderness stands as a testament to the delightful peculiarity that permeates the interconnected web of human endeavors.

Our statistical sleuthing has illuminated a surprising bond of 0.7790877 between the dissemination of the name "Cullen" and the thriving community of chemists in Alaska, enveloping us in a cloud of statistical whimsy that even the most rigid scientist would find hard to resist. You could say we've uncovered a real chemical bond here, albeit of the social variety!

The resounding r-squared value of 0.6069777 suggests that a whopping 60.7% of the chemist count variation can be attributed to the charm of the name "Cullen." This finding gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "chemically bonded"! It's as if we've stumbled upon a secret society of Cullen-loving chemists, orchestrating the quantum dance of statistical significance with their molecular mastery.

The p-value of less than 0.01 serves as a comical exclamation point at the end of our research sentence, signaling that the likelihood of this correlation being a mere fluke is as improbable as stumbling upon a beaker of unicorn tears in a laboratory.

In the whimsical spirit of our investigation, we present these findings with a dash of irreverent charm and a hint of scholarly amusement, affirming that when it comes to statistical correlations, there's room for a sprinkle of mirth amidst the rigor.

We wholeheartedly declare that the Cullen conundrum has been elegantly puzzled out, and no further research is needed in this delightfully quirky arena. Let's leave the Cullen-chemist connection to its own quirky devices and bask in the scientific wonder of this serendipitous statistical frolic.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of academic journals. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding research, scientific, or academic journal that would publish a paper entited The Cullen Conundrum: Exploring the Correlation Between Popularity of the Name 'Cullen' and the Chemist Count in Alaska. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Quirky Statistical Analyses

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of nonprofit research organizations and associations. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding nonprofit, academic, or scientific association or organization that would sponsor research that resulted in a paper entited The Cullen Conundrum: Exploring the Correlation Between Popularity of the Name 'Cullen' and the Chemist Count in Alaska. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Society for Obscure Name-Related Research and Analysis

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide potential search keywords separated by commas. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide potential search keywords for a paper titled The Cullen Conundrum: Exploring the Correlation Between Popularity of the Name 'Cullen' and the Chemist Count in Alaska with an abstract of The familiar adage "What's in a name?" takes on a peculiar twist in our empirical investigation into the curious correlation between the prevalence of the first name "Cullen" and the abundance of chemists in the unique setting of the Last Frontier. Leveraging authoritative data from the US Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we uncover an unexpected synergy between nomenclature and professional pursuits. With a statistically robust correlation coefficient of 0.7790877 and a p-value of less than 0.01 for the period spanning from 2003 to 2022, our findings defy conventional expectations. We offer tongue-in-cheek interpretations and light-hearted speculation on this whimsical association, evoking both amusement and scholarly curiosity. Our study adds a dash of levity to the serious corpus of social science research, illuminating the delightful quirks that pervade the fascinating tapestry of human society.

ChatGPT:

"Cullen" name popularity, chemist count Alaska, correlation study, US Social Security Administration data, Bureau of Labor Statistics, nomenclature and profession correlation, statistical correlation coefficient, p-value, social science research, human society quirks

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Data details

Popularity of the first name Cullen
Detailed data title: Babies of all sexes born in the US named Cullen
Source: US Social Security Administration
See what else correlates with Popularity of the first name Cullen

The number of chemists in Alaska
Detailed data title: BLS estimate of chemists in Alaska
Source: Bureau of Larbor Statistics
See what else correlates with The number of chemists in Alaska

Correlation r = 0.7790877 (Pearson correlation coefficient)
Correlation is a measure of how much the variables move together. If it is 0.99, when one goes up the other goes up. If it is 0.02, the connection is very weak or non-existent. If it is -0.99, then when one goes up the other goes down. If it is 1.00, you probably messed up your correlation function.

r² = 0.6069777 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 60.7% of the change in the one variable (i.e., The number of chemists in Alaska) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., Popularity of the first name Cullen) over the 20 years from 2003 through 2022.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 5.2E-5.^Show 0.0000516754080168344700000000
The p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme.^Note More specifically the p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme if we had only tested one pair of variables one time.

But I am a p-villain. I absolutely did not test only one pair of variables one time. I correlated hundreds of millions of pairs of variables. I threw boatloads of data into an industrial-sized blender to find this correlation.

Who is going to stop me? p-value reporting doesn't require me to report how many calculations I had to go through in order to find a low p-value!
On average, you will find a correaltion as strong as 0.78 in 0.0052% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 19,352 random variables^Note Which I absolutely did.
with the same 19 degrees of freedom, ^Note Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 19 because we have two variables measured over a period of 20 years. It's just the number of years minus ( the number of variables minus one ), which in this case simplifies to the number of years minus one.
you would randomly expect to find a correlation as strong as this one.

[ 0.51, 0.91 ] 95% correlation confidence interval (using the Fisher z-transformation)
^{Read more about the confidence interval} The confidence interval is an estimate the range of the value of the correlation coefficient, using the correlation itself as an input. The values are meant to be the low and high end of the correlation coefficient with 95% confidence.

This one is a bit more complciated than the other calculations, but I include it because many people have been pushing for confidence intervals instead of p-value calculations (for example: NEJM. However, if you are dredging data, you can reliably find yourself in the 5%. That's my goal!

All values for the years included above: ^Note If I were being very sneaky, I could trim years from the beginning or end of the datasets to increase the correlation on some pairs of variables. I don't do that because there are already plenty of correlations in my database without monkeying with the years.

Still, sometimes one of the variables has more years of data available than the other. This page only shows the overlapping years. To see all the years, click on "See what else correlates with..." link above.

	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Popularity of the first name Cullen (Babies born)	284	270	278	260	286	283	567	685	574	481	455	452	497	529	556	464	411	369	341	253
The number of chemists in Alaska (Chemists)	90	70	60	70	60	90	160	160	190	60	100	70	170	130	120	90	70	80	50	40

Why this works

Data dredging: I have 25,153 variables in my database. I compare all these variables against each other to find ones that randomly match up. That's 632,673,409 correlation calculations! This is called “data dredging.” Instead of starting with a hypothesis and testing it, I instead abused the data to see what correlations shake out. It’s a dangerous way to go about analysis, because any sufficiently large dataset will yield strong correlations completely at random.
Lack of causal connection: There is probably^Note Because these pages are automatically generated, it's possible that the two variables you are viewing are in fact causually related. I take steps to prevent the obvious ones from showing on the site (I don't let data about the weather in one city correlate with the weather in a neighboring city, for example), but sometimes they still pop up. If they are related, cool! You found a loophole.
no direct connection between these variables, despite what the AI says above. This is exacerbated by the fact that I used "Years" as the base variable. Lots of things happen in a year that are not related to each other! Most studies would use something like "one person" in stead of "one year" to be the "thing" studied.
Observations not independent: For many variables, sequential years are not independent of each other. If a population of people is continuously doing something every day, there is no reason to think they would suddenly change how they are doing that thing on January 1. A simple^Note Personally I don't find any p-value calculation to be 'simple,' but you know what I mean.
p-value calculation does not take this into account, so mathematically it appears less probable than it really is.

Try it yourself

You can calculate the values on this page on your own! Try running the Python code to see the calculation results. ^{Show the steps to do this.} Step 1: Download and install Python on your computer.

Step 2: Open a plaintext editor like Notepad and paste the code below into it.

Step 3: Save the file as "calculate_correlation.py" in a place you will remember, like your desktop. Copy the file location to your clipboard. On Windows, you can right-click the file and click "Properties," and then copy what comes after "Location:" As an example, on my computer the location is "C:\Users\tyler\Desktop"

Step 4: Open a command line window. For example, by pressing start and typing "cmd" and them pressing enter.

Step 5: Install the required modules by typing "pip install numpy", then pressing enter, then typing "pip install scipy", then pressing enter.

Step 6: Navigate to the location where you saved the Python file by using the "cd" command. For example, I would type "cd C:\Users\tyler\Desktop" and push enter.

Step 7: Run the Python script by typing "python calculate_correlation.py"

If you run into any issues, I suggest asking ChatGPT to walk you through installing Python and running the code below on your system. Try this question:

"Walk me through installing Python on my computer to run a script that uses scipy and numpy. Go step-by-step and ask me to confirm before moving on. Start by asking me questions about my operating system so that you know how to proceed. Assume I want the simplest installation with the latest version of Python and that I do not currently have any of the necessary elements installed. Remember to only give me one step per response and confirm I have done it before proceeding."

# These modules make it easier to perform the calculation
import numpy as np
from scipy import stats

# We'll define a function that we can call to return the correlation calculations
def calculate_correlation(array1, array2):

    # Calculate Pearson correlation coefficient and p-value
    correlation, p_value = stats.pearsonr(array1, array2)

    # Calculate R-squared as the square of the correlation coefficient
    r_squared = correlation**2

    return correlation, r_squared, p_value

# These are the arrays for the variables shown on this page, but you can modify them to be any two sets of numbers
array_1 = np.array([284,270,278,260,286,283,567,685,574,481,455,452,497,529,556,464,411,369,341,253,])
array_2 = np.array([90,70,60,70,60,90,160,160,190,60,100,70,170,130,120,90,70,80,50,40,])
array_1_name = "Popularity of the first name Cullen"
array_2_name = "The number of chemists in Alaska"

# Perform the calculation
print(f"Calculating the correlation between {array_1_name} and {array_2_name}...")
correlation, r_squared, p_value = calculate_correlation(array_1, array_2)

# Print the results
print("Correlation Coefficient:", correlation)
print("R-squared:", r_squared)
print("P-value:", p_value)

Reuseable content

You may re-use the images on this page for any purpose, even commercial purposes, without asking for permission. The only requirement is that you attribute Tyler Vigen. ^Note Attribution can take many different forms. If you leave the "tylervigen.com" link in the image, that satisfies it just fine. If you remove it and move it to a footnote, that's fine too. You can also just write "Charts courtesy of Tyler Vigen" at the bottom of an article.

You do not need to attribute "the spurious correlations website," and you don't even need to link here if you don't want to. I don't gain anything from pageviews. There are no ads on this site, there is nothing for sale, and I am not for hire.

For the record, I am just one person. Tyler Vigen, he/him/his. I do have degrees, but they should not go after my name unless you want to annoy my wife. If that is your goal, then go ahead and cite me as "Tyler Vigen, A.A. A.A.S. B.A. J.D." Otherwise it is just "Tyler Vigen."

When spoken, my last name is pronounced "vegan," like I don't eat meat.

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Download images for these variables:

High resolution line chart ^Note The image linked here is a Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG). It is the highest resolution that is possible to achieve. It scales up beyond the size of the observable universe without pixelating. You do not need to email me asking if I have a higher resolution image. I do not. The physical limitations of our universe prevent me from providing you with an image that is any higher resolution than this one.

If you insert it into a PowerPoint presentation (a tool well-known for managing things that are the scale of the universe), you can right-click > "Ungroup" or "Create Shape" and then edit the lines and text directly. You can also change the colors this way.

Alternatively you can use a tool like Inkscape.
High resolution line chart, optimized for mobile
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Line chart for only Popularity of the first name Cullen
Line chart for only The number of chemists in Alaska
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The spurious research paper: The Cullen Conundrum: Exploring the Correlation Between Popularity of the Name 'Cullen' and the Chemist Count in Alaska

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Correlation ID: 2335 · Black Variable ID: 3045 · Red Variable ID: 4713


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